Container with a rotatable closure



G. D. DEL VECCHIO 3,356,248

Dec. 5, 1967 I CONTAINER WITH A ROTATABLE CLOSURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 18, 1965 INVENTOR.

GGE D. DELV ECCH IO A T TORNE VS Dec. 5, 1967 G. D. DEL veccr-uo3,356,248

CONTAINER WITH A ROTATABLE CLOSURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1965INVENTOR. GEORGE D. DELVECCHIO BY a n44,

ATTORNEYS 1967 c. D. DEL VECCHIO 3,35

CONTAINER WITH A ROTATABLE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR. GEORGE D. DELVECCHIO A TTORNE VS 1967 G. D. DEL VECCHIO 3,35,2

CONTAINER WITH A ROTATABLE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 166 g; 64 O 1 o 40 L6 57 0 1 F/G 7 I GEORGE DFEEEKFE mm A TTOR/VEYS Dec.5, 1967 5. D. DEL veccr-no 3,355,248

7 CONTAINER WITH A ROTATABLE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 18, 1965 5 sheets-sheeta FIG. 8

FIG. /0 FIG. 9

INVENTOR. GEORGE D. DELVECCHIO ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,356,248CONTAINER WITH A ROTATABLE CLOSURE George D. Del Vecchio, North Rose,N.Y., assignor to Xerox Corporation, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation ofNew York Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,104 6 Claims. (Cl. 220-41)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container capable of dispensing powderedmaterial contained therein. The container is formed of two cylindersconcentrically arranged one within the other. The exterior cylinder isimperforate in its major extent but includes a powder dispensingopening. The interior cylinder has an imperforate section positionableover the opening of the external cylinder to prohibit dispensing of thecontents of the contained. The interior cylinder also has an aperturedsection so that upon rotation thereof, the aperture and openingcooperate for dispensing the contents of the container. An end face ofthe interior cylinder ha a boss movable in an arcuate groove of theexternal cylinder to limit rotation of the cylinders with respect toeach other.

This invention relates to containers and particularly to sealedreceptacles for fine granular or powder material.

More specifically, this invention relates to a sealed container forxerographic toner material as used in any of the various xerographicreproducing machines.

In the process of xerography, for example, as disclosed in CarlsonPatent 2,297,691, a xerographic plate comprising a layer ofphotoconductive material on a conductive backing is given a uniformelectric charge over its surface and then exposed to the subject matterto be reproduced, usually by conventional projection techniques. Thisexposure discharges the plate in accordance with the light intensityreachin it thereby creating an electrostatic latent image on or in theplate.

Development of the image is elfected by developers which comprise, ingeneral, a mixture of a suitable pigmented or dyed resin based powder,hereinafter referred to as toner, and a granular carrier material whichfunctions to carry and to generate triboelectric charges on the toner.More specifically, the function of the carrier material is to providemechanical control of the toner, or to carry the toner to an imagesurface and, simultaneously, provide almost complete homogenity ofcharge polarity. In the development of the image, the toner powder isbrought into surface contact with the photoconductive coating and isheld thereon electrostatically in a pattern corresponding to theelectrostatic latent image. Thereafter, the developed xerographic imagei usually transferred to a support material to which it may be fixed byany suitable means.

In the mixture of toner particles in carrier material, the tonerparticles, which are many times smaller than the carrier particles,adhered to and coat the surface of the carrier particles due to theelectrostatic attraction between them. During development, as the tonercoated carrier particles roll or tumble over thexerographic platecarrying an electrostatic image of opposite polarity to the charge onthe toner, toner particles are pulled away from the carrier by thelatent electrostatic image and deposited on the plate to form adeveloped toner image. As toner powder images are formed, additionaltoner must be supplied to the developer mixture to replenish the tonerdeposited on the xerographic plate. The toner material which is to becontained in applicants invention may be of the type disclosed inCarlson Patent No. 2,940,934, wherein the toner particles comprise afinely divided pig- 3,356,248 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 mented resin havinga particle size less than 20 microns and preferably an average particlesize between about 5 and about 10 microns and consisting of a finelydivided uniform mixture of pigment in a non-tacky, low melting resin.Desirably, the pigment will be a black pigment such as carbon black orother minutely divided carbonaceous pigment.

The disadvantage of handling toner material in prior containers is thetendency of the toner powder, due to its minute size, to become airbornewhen the container is opened by the machine operator. This airbornetoner powder contaminates the surrounding area with carbon blackparticles, blackening the operators hands and clothing, creating aundesirable Working condition. These prior containers, if not of theabove-described nature, have been of the type wherein the package isplaced into the machine by the operator and kept therein to be used as adispensing unit. After the toner supply is exhausted, the operatorremoves the empty container from the machine and replaces it with a fullone. The minute toner particles which cover the empty container due tothe dispensing operation and the residual portion remaining inside theopened container create the same problem as described above but of amore aggravated nature.

The new invention of this application provides a sealed container fortoner material to be used in cooperation with a loader mechanism such asthat disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 497,314,filed on Oct. 18, 1965, in the name of George D. Del Vecchio et al. Thecontainer is placed in the mechanism, the seal is broken and the toneremptied into a dispenser, and the container reclosed providing a whitegloves hands-free method of loading the toner into the dispensermechanism. The container, being destroyed, is then removed from theloading mechanism and discarded.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to improve receptacles forcontaining xerographic toner material.

Another object of this invention is to control the dispensing of thereceptacles contents.

A further object of this invention is to improve containers whereby thecontents are prevented from becoming airborne.

Still another object of this invention is to prevent contamination bythe material contained therein.

In addition, it is another object of this invention to improvexerographic toner containers whereby the receptacle is reclosed anddisposed of after use.

Various other objects and advantages will appear from the followingdetailed description of one embodiment of the invention to be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an automatic xerographic reproducingmachine utilizing an embodiment of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of an embodiment of the invention showingthe drive means which coaets with a suitable loading mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention withparts broken away to better illustrate the construction and featuresthereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventioncooperating with a suitable loading mechanism;

FIG. 5 is an end view of a loader mechanism suitable for use with thesubject invention;

FIG. 6 is a section view of the loader mechanism taken along line -66 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the loading mechanism when not in cooperationwith the subject invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the drive mechanism of the loader tobetter illustrate the cooperative relationship of the mechanism to thesubject invention;

FIG. 9 is an end profile view of the subject invention showing the meansto rotate the closure portion; and

FIG. 10 is an opposite end profile view of an embodiment of the subjectinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an embodiment ofthe subject invention in a suitable environment such as an automaticxerographic reproducing machine, although it should be noted that theinvention is not intended to be so limited.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the automatic xerographic reproducingmachine includes a xerographic plate including a photoconductive layeror light receiving surface on a conductive backing journaled in a frameto rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow to cause the platesurface sequentially to pass a plurality of xerographic processingstations.

For the purpose of the present disclosure, several xerographicprocessing stations in the path of movement of the plate surface may bedescribed functionally, as follows:

A charging station 1 which a uniform electrostatic charge is depositedon the photoconductive layer;

An exposure station 2 at which a light or radiation pattern of copy tobe reproduced is projected onto the plate surface to dissipate thecharge in exposed areas thereof and thereby form a latent electrostaticimage of the copy to be reproduced;

A developing station 3 at which the xerographic de- Veloping materialincluding toner particles having an electrostatic charge opposite tothat of the electrostatic latent image are cascaded over the platesurface, whereby the toner particles adhere to the electrostatic latentimage to form a xerographic powder image in the configuration of thecopy being reproduced;

A transfer station 4 at which the xerographic powder image iselectrostatically transferred from the plate surface to a transfermaterial or a support surface; and

A drum cleaning and discharge station 5 at which the plate surface isbrushed to remove residual toner particles remaining thereon after imagetransfer, and at which the plate surface is exposed to a relativelybright light source to effect substantially complete discharge of anyresidual electrostatic charge remaining thereon.

It is felt that the preceding description of the xerographic process issufiiicent for a better understanding of this invention. Referring nowto the subject matter of the invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the tonerloader 100 cooperates with the toner container to discharge the contentsof the container into a toner metering mechanism 6 whereby the toner ismetered into the developer apparatus 3 as the supply of toner in thedeveloper mixture 7 becomes depleted through development of the latentelectrostatic image on or in the rotatable xerographic plate 8.

The toner container 10, shown in FIG. 2, includes a hollow cylindricalsleeve or receptacle 11 having an opening in its peripheral surface 12through which the toner material is discharged. A substantiallycylindrical core or liner having a closure portion 21 is rotatablymounted in the receptacle 11 forming a closure of the sleeve opening 12to retain the contents therein. The liner 20 has a closed end portion 22cooperating with an end member 13 secured to receptacle 11 and having acircular opening therein in which a fibrous washer 14 is positioned,forming a toner-tight seal. The opposite end portion 24 of the liner 20,having an opening therein for filling the receptacle with toner, isformed with a groove 25 in which the boss 16 of end member 15, securedto the receptacle 11 forming a closure thereof, coacts to limit therelative rotation of the liner 20 within the receptacle 11. The liner 20is rotated within the receptacle 11, moving the closure portion 21 intoor out of interference with the opening '12 of the receptacle, byoperation of a lever-actuated drive hub of toner loader 100 ccoperatingwith a drive portion 23 of liner 20 wherein the drive portion 23 isinserted in a suitable slot 31 of drive hub 39 and rotated thereby. p

The cover plate 37 of toner loader 100 is raised, and the tonercontainer 10 is positioned on the loader over the opening 41 in baseplate 40 on gaskets 42 with a lock portion 17 of the container endmember 15 engaged in a suitable slot 44 of the gasket plate 43 toprovent rota-' tion of the entire container 10 when the drive hub 30rotates. A guide portion 18 is provided on the container end member 15to prevent the container from being positioned on the loader mechanismwithout the container opening 12 in cooperation with the opening 41 inbase plate 40.

The base plate 40 of the toner loader 100, which is secured to the topof the developer housing 3 forming a toner-tight seal therewith by meansof gaskets 47 and flange 48 of the toner meter 6, is formed withsuitable hinge portions 45 and 46 for mounting the cover plate 37 andfolding opener mechanism 60, respectively, and a recessed housingportion 49 for containing the folding opener mechanism hereinafterdescribed in detail.

The opener mechanism 60, the operation of which opens and closes thetoner container 10 by rotating a liner relative to the receptacle 11, issecured to the hinge portion 38 of the cover 37 by link bar 61 pinned tothe hinge portion at one end and secured at its opposite end to abearing 62 mounted on pivot support whereby the link bar 61 may berotated relative to the pivot support 80. Rightand left-hand angle arms64 and 65, re spectively, are mounted on hearing 62 for rotation relative to pivot support 80 to raise or lower support arm 66. The anglearms 64 and 65, at their opposite ends,- support a bifurcated supportarm 66 in which the drive hub 30 is rotatably mounted on bearingsurfaces of sup port arm 66 and rotated by operation of handle 94,pinned to a cylindrical portion 32 of drive hub 36 and nor mally biasedin a counterclockwise direction to a horizontal stop position, as seenin FIG. 5, by a torsion spring 33 encircling the cylindrical portion 32of drive hub 39 and secured at its ends in slot portions of the supportarm 66. The support arm 66 is formed with a stop portion 69 whichengages handle 94 to limit its rotation and the rotation of the coactingdrive hub 30. A cam portion 34 on the periphery of drive hub 30cooperates with a follower latch 54 to lock the toner container 10 ontothe toner loader mechanism upon the rotation of the drive hub 30 throughoperation of the handle 94. This follower latch 54 is rotatably mountedon a pin 55 secured in a bifurcated portion 70 of support arm 66 andbiased out of interference with a toner container being placed on orremoved from the toner loader mechanism by a spring 56 secured at oneend to the follower latch 54 and at its opposite end to a tab portion 57of support arm 66. R0- tation of handle 94 cams follower latch 54 intoengagement with the end member 13 of toner container 16 preventing theremoval of the container from the loader when the closure portion 21 isout of interference with the opening 12 of the receptacle 11. The handle94 is rotated back to its original position closing the opening 12 inreceptacle 11 and the follower latch 54 moves out of engagement with theend member 13 to permit removal of the emptied container.

To enable the opener mechanism 60 to be folded into the recessed housingportion 49 of the loader base plate 40 when the cover plate 37 islowered, the support arm 66 is pivotable at its end opposite the drivehub 30 in bearing portions 73 of bracket 74, secured to base plate 40,and rightand left-hand lock bars 75 and 76, respectively, which aresecured to base plate 40 by shoulder pins 91 extending through a bossportion of the base plate and through a suitable opening 92 in each lockbar. Both rightand left-hand lock bars 75 and 76, respectively, areformed with lock portions 77 and 78, corresponding to rightand left-handlock bars, for rigidly securing the opener mechanism in operatingposition when the cover is opened by extending positions 81 and 82 ofpivot support 80 engaging the respective lock portions 77 and 78 of thelock bars.

The operation of the above-disclosed mechanism will now be brieflydescribed to more clearly illustrate the subject invention.

As the cover plate 37 is opened, the link bar 61, secured to the coverplate, is moved up out of the housing portion 49 of base plate 40 and tothe right, as seen in FIG. 5. A guide 51 secured to the base platecontrols the movement of the linkage from the housing portion to thelock portions 77 and 78 of lock bars 75 and 76. The link bars movementraises the angle arms 64 and 65 rotating them in a counterclockwisedirection and securing the extensions 81 and 82 of pivot support 80 inthe lock portions 77 and 78, respectively. Due to the connection of theangle arms to the support arm 66, the opener mechanism is locked inoperating position.

A toner container is placed onto the loader mechanism 100 with the driveportion 23 of toner liner 20 engaged in the slot 31 of the drive hub 30,and the lock portion 17 of the container end member engaged in the slot44 of the toner loader gasket plate 43. As the handle 94 is rotated,breaking the seal and opening the toner container, the cam portion 34 ondrive hub 30 cams the follower latch 54 into engagement with the endmember 13 of the container preventing the removal of the toner container10. After the contents of the toner container are emptied into the tonermeter, the handle 94 is rotated back to its original position closingthe container and releasing the follower latch 54 to permit removal ofthe container from the loader.

The cover plate 37 is then lowered, moving the link bar 61 to the leftand downward, releasing the extensions 81 and 82 of pivot bar 80 fromengagement with the lock portions 77 and 78 of lock bar 75 and 76,respectively. The angle arms 64 and 65 are moved downward and rotatedclockwise lowering the support arm 66, drive hub 30 and handle 94, intothe housing portion 49 of the base plate 40. A latch 85 fastened to thedeveloper housing 3 secures the cover plate 37 by engaging a suitablelatch portion 36 formed thereon.

While the invention has been described with reference to the structuredisclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth, but isintended tocover such modifications or changes as may come within thescope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container including a sleeve member having at least one openingtherein,

said sleeve member having one end closed and the opposite end having anopening therein,

a hollow core member mounted in said sleeve member in cooperation withthe end of said sleeve member having an opening therein forming aclosure thereof and adapted to be rotated relative to said sleeve member,

said core member having a closure portion to cover the opening in saidcylindrical member, and

a seal between the closure portion of said core mem ber and the openingin said sleeve member.

2. A container including a hollow cylindrical member having an openingtherea first disk-shaped end member secured to one end of saidcylindrical member and having an opening therein,

a second disk-shaped end member secured to said cylindrical member atthe end opposite said first end member forming a closure thereof,

said second end member having a boss portion,

a hollow cylindrical element rotatably supported in said cylindricalmember having a closed first end portion,

said cylindrical element having a second end portion engaging said bossportion of said second disk-shaped end member to limit rotation of saidcylindrical element relative to said cylindrical member.

said cylindrical element having a closure portion adapted to cover theopening in said cylindrical mem ber, and

means to rotate said cylindrical element relative to said cylindricalmember to empty the contents of the container.

3. A container including a hollow cylindrical member having an openingtherea first disk-shaped end member secured to one end of saidcylindrical member and having an opening there- 1n,

a second disk-shaped end member secured to said cylindrical member atthe end opposite said first end member forming a closure thereof,

said second end member having a boss portion,

a hollow cylindrical element rotatably supported in said cylindricalmember having a closed first end portion,

said cylindrical element having a second end portion engaging said bossportion of said second disk-shaped end member to limit rotation of saidcylindrical element relative to said cylindrical member,

said cylindrical element having a closure portion adapted to cover theopening in said cylindrical member,

a seal between the closure portion of said cylindrical element and theopening in said cylindrical member, and

means to rotate said cylindrical element relative to said cylindricalmember breaking said seal and emptying the contents of the container.

4. A container including a hollow cylindrical member having an openingtherein,

a first disk-shaped end member secured to one end of said cylindricalmember and having an opening therein,

a second disk-shaped end member secured to said cylindrical member atthe end opposite said first end member forming a closure thereof,

said second end member having a boss portion,

a hollow, substantially cylindrical element rotatably supported in saidcylindrical member having a closed first end portion forming aprotruding member extending through the opening in the first disk-shapedend member and ooacting with said first disk-shaped end member to form aseal therewith,

said cylindrical element having a second end portion with an openingtherein formed to coact with the boss portion of said second disk-shapedend member to limit rotation of said cylindrical element relative tosaid cylindrical member,

said cylindrical element having a closure portion to cover the openingin said cylindrical member, and

said protruding member adapted to rotate said cylindrical elementrelative to said cylindrical member to empty the contents of thecontainer.

5. A container including a hollow cylindrical member having an openingtherea first disk-shaped end member secured to one end of saidcylindrical member and having an opening therein,

a second disk-shaped end member secured to said cylindrical member atthe end opposite said first end member forming a closure thereof,

said second end member having a boss portion,

a hollow, substantially cylindrical element rotatably supported in saidcylindrical member having a closed first end portion forming aprotruding member extending through the opening in the first disk-shapedend member and coacting with said first disk-shaped end member to form aseal therewith,

said cylindrical element having a second end portion with an openingtherein formed to coact with the boss portion of said second disk-shapedend member to limit rotation of said cylindrical element relative tosaid cylindrical member,

said cylindrical element having a closure portion to cover the openingin said cylindrical member,

a seal between said closure portion and said opening,

and

said protruding member adapted to rotate said cylindrical elementrelative to said cylindrical member to empty the contents of thecontainer.

6. A container for dispensing powdered material contained thereinincluding:

a hollow drum-shaped member formed of end members and a peripheralsurface therebetween, said peripheral surface having a powdereddispensing opening formed therein,

a hollow core member formed of end members and a peripheral closureportion therebetween, said closure portion having a powder dispensingaperture formed therein, said core member being concentrically mountedwithin said drum-shaped member for rotational movement relative to saiddrum-shaped member from a first position wherein said closure portioncovers the opening in said drum-shaped member to a second positionwherein said aperture is in registration with the opening of saiddrum-shaped member and rotation limiting means including a boss andcoacting groove formed on adjacent end members whereby the ends of saidgroove define the amount of movement said boss can make within saidgroove and consequently control the amount of rotational movementbetween the core member and drum-shaped member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,130,975 9/1938 Stevens 222553 X20 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CONTAINER INCLUDING A SLEEVE MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENINGTHEREIN, SAID SLEEVE MEMBER HAVING ONE END CLOSED AND THE OPPOSITE ENDHAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A HOLLOW CORE MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID SLEEVEMEMBER IN COOPERATION WITH THE END OF SAID SLEEVE MEMBER HAVING ANOPENING THEREIN FORMING A CLOSURE THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO BE ROTATEDRELATIVE TO SAID SLEEVE MEMBER,